Glossary

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A

Allowance Rate (Initial):  The number of allowances divided by the determinations, expressed as apercentage.

Allowances (Initial):  Fully or partially favorable determinations.

Ambulatory Disability (ACS):  In the American Community Survey, individuals five or more years old who responded "yes" when asked if they had "serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs."

American Community Survey (ACS):  The American Community Survey is a large, continuous demographic survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau that will provide accurate and up-to-date profiles of America's communities every year. Annual and multi­-year estimates of population and housing data are generated for small areas, including tracts and population subgroups. This information is collected by mailing questionnaires to a sample of addresses. See the U.S. Census Bureau website for additional details.

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B

Base Population: The sum of a population or an estimate used as the root for evaluation purposes. Typically, the last census count or the estimate from a previous date is used.

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS):  The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) is a state-based system of health surveys that collects information on health risk behaviors, preventive health practices, and health care access primarily related to chronic disease and injury. BRFSS was established in 1984 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); currently data are collected monthly in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Guam. More than 350,000 adults are interviewed each year, making the BRFSS the largest telephone health survey in the world. States use BRFSS data to identify emerging health problems, establish and  track health objectives, and develop and evaluate public health policies and programs. Many states also use BRFSS data to support health-related legislative efforts. See the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website for additional details.

Beneficiary (SSA):  An individual who is receiving benefits, or monthly payments, from Social Security Disability Insurance.

Binge Drinking (BRFSS):  Respondents were asked "[c]onsidering all types of alcoholic beverages, how many times during the past 30 days did you have [5, if male respondent] [4, if female respondents] or more drinks on an occasion?" Respondents who reported doing so at least one time were consider to have engaged in binge drinking.

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C

Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS):  The federal agency with the United States Department of Health and Human Services that administers the Medicaid and Medicare programs.

Civilian:  A person not in active-duty military.

Cognitive Difficulty (ACS):  In the American Community Survey, individuals who indicated "yes" when asked if due to a physical, mental, or emotional problem, having difficulty remembering, concentrating, or making decisions (DREM)

Current Population Survey-Basic Monthly (CPS-BMS):  The Current Population Survey­ Basic-Monthly Survey (CPS-BMS) is a monthly survey of about 50,000 households conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. This survey is the primary source of information on the labor force characteristics of the U.S. population and provides estimates for the nation as a whole. The sample is scientifically selected to represent the civilian non-institutionalized population. Individuals are asked questions about the employment status of each member of the household 15 years of age and older, but published data only focuses on those ages 16 and over. Estimates obtained from  the CPS-BMS include employment, unemployment, earnings, hours of work, and other indicators. See the U.S. Census Bureau website for additional details.

Current Population Survey- Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS-ASEC):  The Current Population Survey-Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS-ASEC) is an annual survey conducted by the Bureau of the Census. This survey is the primary source of information on the income, poverty, and health insurance in the U.S. It also asks about employment in the previous calendar year. The sample for the CPS-ASEC is drawn from the sample of the CPS-BMS. The CPS-ASEC is also known  as the CPS March Supplement and the CPS Income Supplement. See the U.S. Census Bureau website for additional details.

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D

Department of Labor (DOL):  The Department of Labor is a US government department responsible for the assessment and management of wage and hour standards, occupational safety, unemployment insurance benefits, reemployment services and some economic statistics.

Determination (Initial):  A determination is the finding made by a state agency on the initial claim made in the designated time period. The finding can be favorable, partially favorable, or unfavorable.

Disability Rating:  The disability rating scale is used to track the impairment, disability or handicap of an individual. The severity of the disability corresponds to the value of the rating and used to determine eligibility for supports and services and ability to work or return to work.

Disability Status (ACS):  The U.S. Census Bureau used six questions to identify persons with disabilities. A response of "yes" to any one of the questions indicates that the person in question has a disability-vision, hearing, cognitive, ambulatory, self-care, and independent living. However, the cognitive, ambulatory, self-care, and independent living related questions are not used to identify disability in individuals less than five years old, and the independent living related question is not used to identify disability in individuals less than 18 years old.

Disability Status (BRFSS):  An individual is classified as having a disability based on answers to the following questions: (1) Are you limited in any way in any activities because of physical, mental, or emotional problems? and (2) Do you now have any health problem that requires you to use special equipment, such as a cane, a wheelchair, a special bed, or a special telephone? (include occasional use or use in certain circumstances)?

Disability Status (ACS, CPS-BMS & CPS-ASEC):  The American Community Survey and CPS uses a set of six questions to identify persons with disabilities. A response of "yes" to any one of the questions indicates that the person in question has a disability. The disability questions appear in the CPS in the following format:

This month we want to learn about people who have physical, mental, or emotional conditions that cause serious difficulty with their daily activities. Please answer for household members who are 16 years old or over.

  • Is anyone deaf or does anyone have serious difficulty hearing?
  • Is anyone blind or does anyone have serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses?
  • Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does anyone have serious difficulty concentrating, remembering, or making decisions?
  • Does anyone have serious difficulty walking or climbing stairs?
  • Does anyone have difficulty dressing or bathing?
  • Because of a physical, mental, or emotional condition, does anyone have difficulty doing errands  alone such as visiting a doctor's office or shopping?

Disability Type:  See disability status and specific definitions in the glossary (Vision Disability, Hearing Disability, Ambulatory Disability, Cognitive Disability, Independent Living Disability, and Self-Care Disability)

Disabled-Worker (SSA):  A worker not yet at full retirement age receiving insurance payments due to a disability.

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E

Earned/Earnings (ACS):  Regularly received income from salaries/wages, self-employment or both, for people ages 16 or older before deductions for personal income taxes, Social Security, bond purchases, union dues, Medicare deductions, etc.

Earned Income Tax:  Earned income tax is the tax that is applied to the income a person has earned over a designated time period.

Earned Income Tax Credit:  The Earned Income Tax Credit is a refundable tax credit for working individuals who earn low to moderate incomes, providing extra benefits for individuals with children.

Earned Income Tax Credit Rate:  The amount that is determined by the percent of tax refunded federally and allowed by each individual state.

Earnings Gap:  The difference in percentage earned between two populations, usually people with and without disabilities

Educational Attainment (ACS):  All individuals ages 18 or older are classified based on their highest degree or level of education attained. The categories include:

  1. Completed the twelfth grade without receiving a high school diploma.
  2. High school graduate, meaning received a diploma or General Educational Development (G.E.D.) and did not attend college.
  3. Some college credit, but less than one year.
  4. One or more years of college, but no degree.
  5. Associate's degree which includes people who generally completed two years of college­ level work in an occupational program that prepared them for a specific occupation, or an academic program primarily in the arts and sciences. The course work may or may not be transferable to a bachelor's degree.
  6. Bachelor's degree or more which includes individuals who  received a bachelor's degree and  have taken additional courses but not received a master's degree or PhD.
  7. Master's degrees include the traditional MA and MS degrees and field-specific degrees, such as MSW and MBA.
  8. Professional degrees which includes MD, DDS, DVM, LLB, and JD.
  9. Doctorate degrees which include PhD. 

Schooling completed in foreign or ungraded school systems is reported as the equivalent level of schooling in the regular American system.  Certificates or diplomas for training in specific trades or from vocational, technical, or business schools are not included. Honorary degrees awarded for a respondent's accomplishments are not included.

Employed/Employed Persons (CPS-BMS & CPS­ ASEC):  Individuals 16 years or older who are civilians and are not currently institutionalized and, during the reference week, (a) performed at least one hour of work as a paid employee, worked in their own business, profession, or on their own farm, or worked 15 hours or more as unpaid worker in a business owned  by a relative; and (b) all those who had jobs or businesses but are on leave because of vacation, illness, bad weather, childcare problems, maternity or paternity leave, labor-management dispute, job training, or other family or personal reasons, regardless of whether they were compensated for the time off or were seeking other jobs. Each employed person is counted only once, even if he or she holds more than one job. Individuals who work around their own house (painting, repairing, or own home housework) or volunteer for religious, charitable, and other organizations are excluded.

Employed/Employed Persons (ACS):  In the American Community Survey, people who responded as having worked during the past week. See employed status for the American Community Survey for greater detail.

Employed/Employment Status (ACS):  In the ACS, individuals were asked a series of questions designed to identify their status. Based on the answers, individuals were classified into one of five groups: (1) people who worked at anytime during the reference week; (2) people on temporary layoff who were available for work; (3) people who did not work during the reference week but who had jobs or businesses from which they were temporarily absent (excluding layoff); (4) people who did not work during the reference week, but who were looking for work during the last four weeks and were available for work during the reference week; and (5) people not in the labor force. The employment status data shown in American Community Survey tabulations relate to people ages 16 or older.

Employment Gap:  The difference between the percentage of people employed for two different sub-populations, usually people with and without disabilities.

Employment Participation:  Individuals who participated in the labor force. Includes all persons classified as employed or unemployed.

Employment-Population Ratio (CPS­-BMS):  The proportion of the civilian non-institutionalized population ages 16 or more years who are employed.

Employment Rate (CPS-ASEC):  The number of individuals that are employed as a percent of the civilian non-institutionalized population.

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F

Federal Fiscal Year:  The United States federal government's fiscal year is the twelve month period ending on September 30th of that year.

Full-Time, Full-Year (CPS-ASEC):  A person is considered to be working full-time, full-year if he or she worked 35 hours or more per week for 50 to 52 weeks in the past 12 months

Full-Time, Full-Year Rate (CPS-ASEC):  The number of individuals that are working full-time, full-year as a percent of the civilian non-institutional population

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G

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H

Hearing Disability (ACS):  In the ACS, individuals who indicated "yes" when asked if they were "deaf or ... [had] serious difficulty hearing."

Health Insurance Coverage (ACS):  In the American Community Survey, health insurance coverage is broadly defined as both private health insurance and public coverage. Respondents are asked to report their current coverage and to mark "yes" or "no" for each of the eight types listed:

  1. Insurance through a current or former employer or union (of this person or another family member.)
  2. Insurance purchased directly from an insurance company (by this person or another family member.)
  3. Medicare, for people 65 and older, or people with certain disabilities.
  4. Medicaid, Medical Assistance, or any kind of government-assistance plan for those with low incomes or disability
  5. TRICARE or other military health care.
  6. VA (including those who have ever used or enrolled for VA health care).
  7. Indian Health Service.
  8. Any other type of health insurance or health coverage plan. 

Health Insurance Coverage (BRFSS):  In the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, respondents are considered to have health insurance coverage if they respond 'yes' to having, "...any kind of health care coverage, including health insurance, prepaid plans such as HMOs, or government plans such as Medicare, or Indian Health Service?"

Health Insurance Coverage Gap:  The difference in percent health insurance coverage between people with and without disabilities.

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I

Income (ACS):  The sum of all wages, salary, commissions, bonuses, and tips; self-employment income from own non-farm and farm businesses, including proprietorships and partnerships; interest, dividends, net rental income, royalty income, and income from estates and trusts; Social Security and Railroad Retirement income; Supplemental Security Income; any public assistance and welfare payments from the state and local welfare office; retirement, survivor, and disability pensions; and any other sources received regularly such as veterans' payments, unemployment compensation, child support, and alimony.

Income Maintenance Programs:  Government programs that provide direct financial assistance to needy individuals, families, and/or households. Examples include Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) and general assistance.

Independent Living Disability (ACS):  In the American Community Survey,  individuals who indicated  "yes" when asked if due to a physical, mental, or emotional condition, they had difficulty "doing errands alone such as visiting a doctor's office or shopping."

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA):  A law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation. IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education, and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities. Infants and toddlers with disabilities (birth-2) and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA, Part C. Children and youth (3-21) receive special education and related services under IDEA, Part B.

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J

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K

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L

Labor Force (CPS-BMS & CPS-ASEC):  All persons classified as employed or unemployed.

Labor Force Participation Rate (CPS-BMS & CPS-ASEC):  The labor force as a percent of the civilian non-institutionalized population.

Labor Market Attachment (CPS-ASEC):  A person is considered to be attached to the labor market if he or she worked at least at least 52 hours in the calendar year prior to the survey.

Labor Market Attachment Rate (CPS­-ASEC):  The number of individuals attached to the labor market as a percent of the civilian non­ institutionalized population.

Living in the Community:  Describes persons who are residing in the community and who are not living in institutions such as jails, prisons, nursing homes, hospitals, etc.

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M

Median Earnings:  The median is the middlemost value of a sample that separates the upper half of the values from the lower half of the values. The median earnings is the amount that divides the income distribution in two equal groups. Half of the people earn more than this value and half the people earn less than this value.

Medicaid (CMS):  Medicaid is a state administered but federally required program to provide health insurance to certain groups of people. States determine specific eligibility requirements, but in general low income individuals, families, children, and pregnant women are eligible for health care coverage under Medicaid. In some states, other groups (such as people with disabilities) are also eligible.

Medicare (CMS):  Medicare is a federal program that provides health care services to individuals 65 or older, individuals under age 65 with disabilities, and individuals of all ages with end stage renal failure. There are three programs within Medicare: Part A (hospital insurance), Part B (medical insurance), and Prescription Drug Coverage (new since January 1, 2006). Individuals pay into Part A throughout their careers, and then Part A covers that individual for hospital care. People who are eligible for Medicare have the opportunity to purchase Part B, or medical insurance, that covers them for more than just hospital care.

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N

Non-Institutionalized Population:  Describes individuals who are residing in the community and who are not living in institutions such as jails, prisons, nursing homes, hospitals, etc.

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O

OASDI Benefits:  The Social Security Administration's Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance (OASDI) program provides monthly benefits to qualified retired and disabled workers, their dependents and to survivors of insured workers. Eligibility and benefit amounts are determined by the worker's contributions to Social Security.

Obese/ Obesity (BRFSS):  The condition where a person has a body mass index greater than 30.

Office of the Special Education Programs:  Part of the United States Department of Education, the Office of Special Education Programs' mission is to improve education-related outcomes and experiences of infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support at the state and federal level. Their goals include:

  • "Fostering and supporting research and the development of knowledge and innovations to improve results for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities" and
  • "Evaluating, monitoring and reporting on the implementation of federal policy and programs and the effectiveness of early intervention and educational efforts for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities." 

Order of Selection:  A state is required by the Federal Government to implement an order of selection when it does not have the funds and/or the personnel to provide services for all eligible individuals with disabilities. This process is detailed under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and 34 CFR 361.36. When this situation occurs, a state must classify eligible individuals according to the significance of their disability(ies), and must serve the most significantly disabled first.

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P

Participation in the labor force:  See labor force.

Percentage Point(s):  A number, count, or ratio expressed as a fraction of 100.

Persons with Targeted Disability:  People with Targeted Disabilities are recognized and defined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the United States Office of Personnel Management as "[People with]...the most severe disabilities including blindness, deafness, partial and full paralysis, missing extremities, dwarfism, epilepsy, intellectual disabilities, and psychiatric disabilities. Individuals with these disabilities typically have the greatest difficulty finding employment...the federal government has a special emphasis on recruiting, hiring, and retaining people with targeted disabilities."

Prevalence:  The proportion of the population with a particular status or condition. Prevalence is usually expressed as a percentage or a number of people per unit of the population.

Prevalence Rate:  The prevalence of a particular status or condition estimated over a specific period of time.

Projected Population:  Estimates of what the population will be at a future date. The United States Census Bureau definition states that population projections "are typically based on an estimated population consistent with the most recent decennial census and are produced using the cohort-component method"

Population:  The total number of inhabitants in a defined geographic area including all races, classes, and groups.

Poverty (ACS & CPS-ASEC):  The Office of Management and Budget in Statistical Policy Directive 14 sets the standards for which poverty is calculated. The U.S. Census Bureau uses a set of dollar value thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who is in poverty. If a family's total income is less than the dollar value of the appropriate threshold, then that family and every individual in it are considered to be in poverty.

Poverty Gap:  The difference between the poverty rates of two populations, usually people with and without disabilities.

Poverty Rate (ACS & CPS-ASEC):  Percent of the population who are determined to be in poverty.

Postsecondary Institutions:  In the United States, any education, school, training or program beyond the high school level.

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Q

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R

Race  (ACS):  Individuals identified themselves as one of six categories in the survey: White, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and Some Other Race.

Rehabilitation Rate:  The number of successful employment outcomes divided by the number of closures after initiating or completing services.

Rehabilitation Services Administration:  The Rehabilitation Services Administration is a United States Department of Education agency that help individuals with disabilities obtain employment and live more independently. Data provided by the Rehabilitation Services Administration can be found in the 'Ad Hoc Query' section of their website: http//rsa.ed.gov

Resident Population:  All residents (both civilian and Armed Forces) living in the United States (all 50 states and the District of Columbia).

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S

Sampling Variability:  The variation of a statistic when estimated from repeated samples.

Seasonally Adjusted Statistics:  Statistics that face predictable variation over the course of a year due to seasonal changes (i.e., increases in employment in farming during harvest months) and are adjusted using statistical techniques that attempt to account for these expected seasonal changes.

Self-Care Disability (ACS):  In the American Community Survey, individuals who indicated "yes" when asked If they "have difficulty dressing or bathing."

Service-Connected Disability Rating:  In the American Community Survey, the VA service-connected disability rating for an individual who is a veteran. The rating reflects the degree of the veteran's disability on a scale from 0 to 100 percent, in increments of 10 percent.

Service-Connected Disability Rating Status:  In the American Community Survey, the designation associated with individuals who were in the Reserves or National Guard, trained with the Reserves or National Guard, or active-duty military that have a disability as a result of disease or injury incurred or aggravated during active military service. These disabilities are defined according to the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities in Title 38, U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, Part 4.

Smoking (BRFSS):  Respondents were asked about smoking: "Have you smoked at least 100 cigarettes  in your entire life?" and  "Do you now smoke cigarettes every day, some days, or not at all?" Respondents who reported smoking at least 100 cigarettes in their lifetime and who, at the time of survey, smoked either every day or some days were defined as current smoker (i.e., smoking).

Social Security Administration:  The Social Security Administration is an independent agency within the United States federal government managing services supporting people eligible for social security programs. This includes employment-, retirement-, survivor- and disability-related benefits. These benefits are earned by paying Social Security taxes on earnings.

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI):  A monthly benefit paid to individuals and certain family members if they worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes.

Social Security Income (SSI):  A monthly benefit paid to low-income persons with disabilities if they meet eligibility criteria including evidence of disability.

Social Security Income Supplement:  The Social Security Income supplement is managed by individual states to provide extra support for people with disabilities.

Social Security Income Supplementary Payments:  Social Security Income Supplementary Payments are extra supplementary payments to people with disabilities on top of the SSI they receive from the federal government. Each state manages the supplementary payments independently.

Special Education:  Specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parents, to meet the unique needs of a child with a disability, including (i) instruction at the classroom, home, hospitals and institutions, and in other settings; and (ii) physical education. The term can include each of the following: (i) speech-language pathology services, or any other related service, if the service is considered special education rather than a related service under state standards; (ii) travel training; and (iii) vocational education.

Successful Employment (VR):  The U.S. Department of Education Rehabilitation Services Administration defines successful employment for at least 90 days in an integrated employment setting.

Successfully Rehabilitated:  Successful rehabilitation describes achieved vocational rehabilitation outcomes including occupational/vocational skills training, employment (re-entering the workforce), technical assistance, and transportation services.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI):  The Social Security Administration pays benefits to disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources. SSI benefits also are payable to people ages 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial limits.

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T

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U

Unemployed Persons (CPS-BMS & CPS­-ASEC):  Individuals ages 16 or older and were available to work, who had no employment during the reference week, and had made specific efforts to find employment sometime during the month prior to the reference week.

Unemployment Rate (ACS, CPS-BMS, CPS-ASEC):  The percent of the population who do not have a job and are available and looking for work. See unemployed persons.

United States Census Bureau:  An agency within the United States Federal Statistical System tasked with producing data about the American people and economy. Their primary task is to conduct the United States Census every ten years.

United States Department of Health and Human Services:  A department in the United States government tasked with protecting and maintaining the health of all Americans.

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V

Veteran(s):  A person who previously served in the armed forces

Veteran Benefits:  Federal assistance provided to Veterans and their departments. This includes disability compensation, Veteran's pension programs, medical care, and educational programs.

Vision Disability:  In the ACS, individuals who indicated "yes" when asked if they were "blind or ... [had] serious difficulty seeing even when wearing glasses."

Vocational Rehabilitation  (VR):  Employment services offered to individuals with mental or physical disabilities. These services are designed  to enable participants to attain skills, resources, attitudes, and expectations needed to compete in the interview process, get a job, and keep a job. These services may also help an individual retrain for employment after an injury or mental disorder has disrupted previous employment.

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W

Work Limitation (CPS-ASEC):  A person is considered to have a work limitation if he or she has “a health problem or disability which prevents them from working or which limits the kind or amount of work he or she can do.”

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X

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Y

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Z

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